Hemyock Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Main findings

Hemyock is a good school.

School development work has been successful in promoting considerable improvement since the school's last inspection. Parents and carers, staff and pupils agree that the rate of this progress has increased markedly since the school federated with two other schools. The executive headteacher and the head of teaching and learning have provided outstanding leadership in moving the school forward.

Pupils' progress has increased and is now good overall, although there remains some variation in the progress made by older pupils in mathematics. By Year 6, pupils' attainment is above average overall, but not yet as consistently high in mathematics as in English. There is det...ermination amongst school leaders and staff to ensure the school continues to improve and this, together with the success of development work that is based on rigorous and accurate self-assessment, shows the school has good capacity for sustained improvement.

Pupils love their school and, as is evident in the high rates of attendance, are keen to be there. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding, building on the good start children make in Reception, where provision is good. They are highly considerate of others and empathetic towards those with different lives and beliefs.

They are learning to love learning and are excited about what they are finding out. Pupils are pleased with the way the curriculum has been changed to focus on topics and greatly enjoy the wide range of enrichment activities that are planned for them, particularly when these are outdoors. Teachers use this topic- focused approach well and this ensures that lessons are stimulating and interesting.

Other effective aspects of teaching include the way teachers use resources to engage and interest pupils, the high expectations teachers have of their pupils and the very good quality relationships which ensure pupils strive to live up to these expectations. Teaching assistants are very skilled and are used well to support different groups of pupils. Their work has particularly positive impact on the good progress made by the lowest attaining pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Productive work has been completed in helping teachers to use assessment to promote pupils' learning. Teachers use the work pupils have completed in previous lessons well to plan work for different groups of pupils in the class. They are not, however, as consistently good at assessing pupils' understanding as the lesson progresses in order to adapt their teaching accordingly.

This means that pupils do not always progress as quickly as they might in a lesson. Pupils are set targets to help them understand how to improve their work over time. They understand their targets, but are not always sure how they will know that they have met them.

Additionally, although marking is conscientiously completed, it is not always as helpful as it could be in informing pupils how to improve their work. Pupils comment that they are not always sure how well they are doing at school. The school provides outstanding care and support.

Each pupil is known and valued as an individual and there are robust systems for looking after them, ensuring that pupils feel extremely safe and secure. The school is highly effective in supporting more vulnerable pupils and enabling them to make good progress. Parents and carers are very pleased with the supportive nature of the school.

Their comments can be summed up by one who wrote, 'Hemyock is a lovely school, totally focused on the children.'

Information about the school

This below average-sized school serves its local area in rural Devon. Almost all pupils are of White British origin and speak English as their first language.

The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is below average. A below average percentage of pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Younger pupils, including those in the Early Years Foundation Stage, are taught in single age classes; those in Years 3 to 6 are taught in three mixed age classes.

Since May 2010, the school has been part of a federation of three schools near Tiverton. The executive headteacher leads the work of all three schools. The head of teaching and learning of Hemyock School leads and manages its day-to-day work.

There is a single governing body for all three schools. There is a nursery facility, not managed by the school, operating in a building separate from the school building but sharing the same site. This provision does not form part of this inspection.